Corinne, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: Here we have "Corinne," a portrait from the Actors and Actresses series made by Allen & Ginter between 1885 and 1891, part of a larger set for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It feels like a little window into a lost world. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Well, these cigarette cards are fascinating documents. They seem innocuous, but they actually reveal so much about the construction of celebrity, gender, and consumption in the late 19th century. Corinne, like many actresses, became a commodity, packaged and sold alongside tobacco. Who was she beyond this image? Did this card amplify her agency, or further reduce her to a pretty face? What kind of expectations did the rising popularity of "actresses" create on stage and off? Editor: So, this isn't just a pretty picture. It’s a… Curator: A loaded image. Consider how these cards were collected, traded, and displayed. How might working class women viewed her? It’s a peek into a system where women's images were circulated to promote pleasure, escape, or class mobility in ways that have everything to do with racial power, industrial profit, and what we expect from those we "admire." Think of it in terms of today’s social media influencers! Editor: That’s really interesting. It definitely reframes how I see it – not just as a vintage portrait but as part of a larger cultural narrative. Curator: Precisely. Art is rarely made in a vacuum, and understanding the social and historical forces at play unlocks deeper meanings and connections to our world today. Editor: Thanks, I’ll definitely look at these cards differently now!